Chapter 31 What exactly did his sister see in him?

Yan Shuang was woken up by hunger.

When she opened her eyes, Shang Qiuzhu's arm was across her waist, and she had somehow turned over, burying her face in the crook of his neck, with one leg stuck between his legs.

She tried to pull away cautiously, but was stopped by a suddenly tightening arm.

Shangqiu Zhu's eyes remained closed, and her breathing was steady, as if it were an instinctive reaction.

Yan Shuang held her breath and observed his sleeping face. The shadows cast by his eyelashes under his eyes looked exceptionally soft, and the relaxed lines at the corners of his mouth made him look a few years younger.

The phone on the bedside table suddenly vibrated.

Shangqiu Zhu frowned and loosened his grip.

Yan Shuang took the opportunity to roll to the edge of the bed, put on the shirt that Shang Qiuzhu had thrown on the back of the chair, and went downstairs.

The breakfast, which had long since gone cold, was still on the table. She wrinkled her nose and went into the kitchen.

The kitchen was ridiculously spacious, fully equipped with all kinds of high-end kitchenware, and the refrigerator was filled with ingredients arranged as neatly as supermarket shelves.

The restaurant was connected to a small bar, and the bottles displayed in the wine cabinet glittered under the spotlights. Although she didn't know much about wine, she recognized a few luxury brands.

"Luckily, there was still food in the refrigerator..."

Having had a good night's sleep, she decided to make a decent late-night snack.

Yan Shuang tied on her apron, skillfully cracked the eggs, and sprinkled a pinch of salt and black pepper.

The butter in the frying pan melted, bubbling with golden yellow. She poured in the egg mixture, and an enticing aroma instantly filled the air.

The steak was seared in another pan until the edges curled slightly, and she casually tossed in a few slices of mushroom, instantly making the aroma even more intense.

The coffee machine started operating, and the dark brown liquid dripped slowly, filling the air with a rich coffee aroma.

She poured some milk into the glass and added a spoonful of honey.

Shangqiu Zhu prefers bitter coffee, but she wants something sweet tonight.

Just as she was flipping the steak, a deep voice suddenly came from behind her.

"Sneaking a meal in the middle of the night?"

Yan Shuang was so startled she almost threw the spatula away. She turned around abruptly and saw Shang Qiuzhu leaning against the kitchen door frame, her pajamas collar slightly open, her black hair a little messy, but her eyes were so clear that she didn't look like someone who had just woken up.

"You, how did you wake up?" she stammered.

He didn't answer, but slowly walked closer, his gaze sweeping over the food on the counter.

The next second, the man pulled out a dining chair and sat down directly, tapping his slender fingers lightly on the table twice, as if silently urging him on.

Yan Shuang glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.

He was wearing dark gray loungewear, the collar slightly open, and his black hair was a little messy, but it did not affect his noble aura at all.

He leaned back lazily in his chair, his gaze fixed on her, a hint of nonchalant waiting in his eyes.

His posture was just like that of a pampered young master waiting to be served.

Yan Shuang rolled her eyes inwardly: "What does my sister see in him?"

Shangqiu Zhu appears to be an elite on the surface, but in reality, he is arrogant and difficult to please.

How could Yan You like a man who is all show and no substance?

She deliberately flipped the steak harder, causing oil to splatter and make a "sizzling" sound, as if expressing her dissatisfaction.

Shangqiu Zhu seemed oblivious to her emotions, and instead slowly said, "Medium-rare, don't overcook it."

Yan Shuang: "..."

She took a deep breath and resisted the urge to throw the steak right in his face.

"Mr. Shang," she turned around with a forced smile, "if you're so particular, why don't you make it yourself?"

Shangqiu Zhu looked up at her and replied casually, "I don't know how."

Yan Shuang choked on her words.

How can this person be so shameless?

She gritted her teeth, but ultimately decided not to argue with him. She turned around and continued frying the steak, only this time with a bit more force, as if venting her resentment.

When Yan Shuang pushed the plate in front of Shang Qiuzhu, she didn't even look up at him, and just said coldly, "Eat."

Shangqiu Zhu glanced down at it, picked up her knife and fork, and gracefully cut off a small piece.

The aroma of the meat spreads across the tongue, the cooking time is precise, the seasoning is just right, and it is even better than some high-end restaurants.

He raised an eyebrow slightly, surprised that she had this trick up her sleeve.

But he said nothing and continued eating in silence.

Yan Shuang didn't expect him to praise her, and focused on cutting her own portion.

The only sounds in the restaurant were the occasional clinking of cutlery against plates and the faint murmur of rain outside the window.

She ate very quickly, as if she just wanted to finish the meal as soon as possible.

The bamboo from Shangqiu ate very slowly.

It wasn't until she swallowed the last bite of meat that Yan Shuang put down her knife and fork and looked up to find out.

His plate was empty too.

She paused, taken aback.

She thought that a picky young master like him would at least leave something behind, or casually make a few sarcastic remarks.

Yan Shuang pursed her lips, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke: "President Shang..."

Shangqiu Zhu put down the napkin and simply hummed in response.

"I have to go to the company tomorrow." She pursed her lips. "Could you have someone send me some clothes?"

Shangqiu Zhu then raised his eyelids and scanned her from top to bottom.

She was wearing his clothes, the collar loose, and she looked inexplicably... pitiful.

His eyes flickered slightly, but in the end he simply gave a faint "hmm" in agreement.

Yan Shuang breathed a sigh of relief, lowered her head and tugged at her overly long sleeves, whispering, "Thank you."

After Shangqiu Zhu left, Yan Shuang tidied up the tableware, walked out of the dining room, and through an archway, she arrived at the living room.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows is a meticulously manicured rooftop garden, which looks exceptionally elegant even at night.

She continued walking inside.

Several abstract paintings hung on both sides of the corridor, and at the end of the corridor was a half-open door, from which a faint mist of water vapor drifted out.

Yan Shuang pushed open the door, and a wave of hot air with a faint smell of sulfur rushed out.

His house even has an indoor hot spring sauna.

The entire space is designed in a Japanese style, with a circular hot spring pool in the center, surrounded by pebbles, and a wooden sauna in the corner.

Her fingers had already begun to unbutton her shirt involuntarily; why not soak in such a beautiful hot spring?

The water temperature was just right, and Yan Shuang sighed comfortably as she slowly sank into the water.

After soaking for about twenty minutes, Yan Shuang's cheeks were already rosy.

She reluctantly emerged from the hot spring and wrapped herself in the silk bathrobe hanging nearby.

The shower stall next to me was filled with high-end toiletries. I lavishly scooped out a large dollop and applied it to my face, then casually used the serum and eye cream next to me.

After completing the full skincare routine, Yan Shuangji was glowing.

She hummed a little tune as she pushed open the door to the hot spring room, her bathrobe hanging loosely on her body, her hair still dripping wet.

Just then, she heard Shangqiu Zhu's footsteps.

She turned around and looked.

Their eyes met, and a drop of water slid down her hair, down her face, and disappeared into the collar of her bathrobe.

Shangqiu Zhu's gaze followed the drop of water, then looked away, returning to her face.

Her cheeks were flushed from the steam of the hot spring, and she exuded the fragrance of rose essential oil.

Yan Shuang cleared her throat awkwardly: "Um... the hot spring was great, thank you."

Shangqiu Zhu walked past her toward the study, leaving without turning back to say, "Come to the study."

Yan Shuang's eyes widened.

Now? She's about to go back to her bedroom to sleep!

The comfort of soaking in the hot spring vanished instantly, replaced by a familiar sense of gloom.

Without a doubt, it's another round of endless secretarial work.

"Now?" she couldn't help but ask, her voice filled with obvious resistance.

Shangqiu Zhu paused, then turned around.

His features appeared particularly sharp under the light: "Is there a problem?"

"No...no." Yan Shuang pouted, rolling her eyes inwardly. Capitalists are capitalists; they don't even give people a moment to breathe.

She followed his tall, straight back with slow, deliberate steps. The study door opened, and Shang Qiuzhu sat down behind the desk: "There are a few data points that need to be updated in the PPT for tomorrow's morning meeting."

Yan Shuang took a deep breath and resignedly moved to the workbench.

"What parts of the PPT need to be modified?" she asked directly, her voice regaining its usual professional tone.

Shangqiu Zhu handed her a document: "The third quarter sales data has been updated, and the competitor analysis section needs to be redone."

Yan Shuang took the document, quickly glanced at it, and nodded: "Understood, I'll handle it right away."

She opened her laptop and immediately got to work.

Shangqiu Zhu raised an eyebrow, surprised that she had changed so quickly.

He observed her discreetly, noticing her slightly furrowed brow as she stared at the screen, her fingers flying across the keyboard, and the occasional thoughtful gesture of biting her lower lip.

The blush from the hot spring hadn't completely faded, leaving a faint pink hue on her fair skin.

The faint scent of roses emanating from her, mixed with the smell of his shampoo she had just used, lingered in the air.

Yan Shuang was completely immersed in her work, quickly entering data and then stopping to check the documents.

When she's focused on her work, she seems to radiate light; her natural professional charm contrasts sharply with her casualness in bed, making them seem like two completely different people.

"The source of this data needs to be verified."

"What's the problem?"

Yan Shuang pointed to the screen: "The comparative data from the same period last year differs from the reports provided by the finance department."

Shangqiu Zhu got up, walked behind her, and bent down to check the screen.

“Use the finance department’s data.” His voice was a few decibels lower than usual. “The marketing department’s statistical methods are different.”

Yan Shuang nodded and turned back to continue her work.

Shangqiu Zhu did not leave immediately, but glanced at her updated PPT.

"Where did you study graphic design?" he asked.

Yan Shuang continued working, "I minored in it in college, and later when I was a secretary, I often had to make presentations, so I studied it on my own."

As she spoke, she adjusted the gradient effect of a bar chart, "This makes it look more intuitive, right?"

Shangqiu Zhu declined to comment.

"Alright." Yan Shuang finally straightened up and turned her somewhat stiff neck. "Would you like me to check you?"

Shangqiu Zhu approached and quickly glanced through the updated PPT.

She not only accurately updated all the data, but also optimized the presentation of several complex charts, making the entire presentation smoother and clearer.

"That's enough," he said succinctly.

Yan Shuang's lips curled up, her eyes crinkling into crescents: "Then I'll go rest first?"

He said yes.